Apparatus for locating leaks in cans



Dec. 16, 1947. J. E. scHMiDT APPARATUS FOR LOCA'IING LEAKS IN CANS Filed Jan. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 n/n sx/PPU PIPE Dec. 16, 1947. J. E. SCHMIDT APPARATUS FOR LOCATING LEAKS IN CANS Filed Jan. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. p oinzzjcfi 7n 02 2 BY Dec. 16, 1947. .1. E. SCHMIDT ,8

APPARATUS FOR LOCATIING LEAKS IN CANS Filed Jan. 15, 1945 '4 Sheets-Sheet s I1EF E g 2 7 a J .9 7a L 44 IE 1 E. E

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Dec. 16, 1947. J. E SCHMIDT APPARATUS FOR LOCATING LEAKS IN CANS Filed Jan. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-sheaf;

INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE John E. Schmidt, Oak Park, 111., asslgnor to (Jontinental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation o! New York Application January 15, 1945, Serial No. 572,925

8 Claims. v((31. 73-40) The invention has to do with an apparatus for locating leaks in cans and more particularly large cans having a capacity of several gallons.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for forcibly submerging a can to be tested, after it has been temporarily closed, beneath the surface of a bath and supplying air to the can for testing through a device which will permit the can to be rotated so as to bring all points of the seam structure to the upper side of the can whereby the actual location oi'a leak may be determined and the can marked.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type whereby the can is submerged in the bath by a fluid pressure operated means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type wherein the fluid pressure operated means includes rollers contacting with the end seams of the container.

the open mouth of a canwith the rubber ring ex! panded into sealing contact with the can;

Figure 9 is a detail showing the upper portion of a can of the type illustrated in the drawings with the end closure for permanently sealing the can applied preparatory to the joining of the same to the can endby a double seam.

The invention has to do with an apparatus wherein large-size cans,- such as. for example, fifty-gallon cansmay be tested for leaks before they are filled. One type of can which may be tested in the improved apparatus is shown in Figure 9. The can has a cylindrical body indi- A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type wherein the can is temporarily closed by an expansible pad and an air pipe passes through the pad for deliverin air under low pressure to the can for testing the same for leaks. V

A still further object is to provide a pipe structurefor delivering air through the pad which will permit the can to be freely rotated without disturbing the air supply connection.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying the improvements, with parts. broken away;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away, and sectioned;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a. closure pad for the temporary closing of the can and the testing oi. the same;

Figure 5 is a plan view oi. the same;

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the center of the closure pad and showing the air pipe connection to the pad and the mounting for the air pipe so that the pad can be rotated relative to the supply pipe, the section being taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line of Figure 5;

Figure 8uis a view showing the pad placed in cated at l and the ends are secured thereto by double seaming. The top end is shown in the drawing and the end seam is indicated at 2. This top end has an opening 3 'therethrough. The metal is drawn so as to provide a cylindrical wall which projects outwardly from the end and surrounds the opening. This outwardly projecting wall is iorxned with a flange which is adapted to be rolled into a double seam 4 with the flange of a closure end 5. The present apparatus has to do with the testing of the can after it is constructed and the ends are attached thereto to determine whether or not there is any leak in the end seams or the side seam of the can. The apparatus is particularly adapted for locating the leak if there is' one present.

The testing apparatus includes a tank adapted to contain a water bath. In this tank is a frame having guiding members for directing a can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can arranged horizontally. Before the can is placed in the bath the opening in the top end through which the can is to be filled is closed temporarily by a sealing pad including a rubber bers and forced beneath the surface of the bath porarily closes the can and air under low pres-.

sure is delivered into the can. If there is a leak the air will escape through the leak and form in bubbles which will rise to the top of the bath. The guides for the can and the connection to the spaced steel disks l and H.

* 3 pipe which supplies air thereto are so constructed that the can may be rotated about its longitudinal axisand all parts of the end seams, as well as the side seam, brought to the upper side of the can where, if there is a leak, the bubbles rising will quickly detect just where the leak is located and permit the operator to mark the can so that when a can is removed from the testing apparatus the leak may be closed.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the improved apparatus includes a tank 6 which may be made of metal. The tank is preferably rectangular in shape. Located in the tank is a frame structure which includes end members I, I, the upper ends la of which are curved away from each other So that these end members serve as guides for receiving a can with the longitudinal axis of the can horizontal. The ends of the cans will pass along the guides I, I when the can is immersed in the water bath. There are also side guiding members 8 and 9. The side guiding member 9 is tapered outwardly as indicated at Go in Figure 2. The upper end of this side member is secured to the tank. The side member 8 is provided with brackets 8a which are likewise secured to the tank. This will serve to place the guiding frame for the can in the tank and hold it in a fixed position relative thereto. The outward tapering of the side member 9 is to facilitate the passing of the can into the tank in a predetermined position relative thereto.

Before the can is placed in the tank for testing, it is temporarily closed by a closure member which is illustrated in detail in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive. The closure member includes two Disposed between these disks is a rubber ring l2. Also disposed between the disks is a steel ring l3 which is welded to the disk II. This steel ring is of considerably less thickness than th distance between the steel plates so that the plates may be moved relative to each other for the purpose of compressing the ring gasket for expanding the same.- The steel ring I3 will cause the ring gasket when pressed upon to expand outwardly and enlarge in diameter. Extending through the two metal disks are devices which operate to draw the two disks toward each other. There are two of these devices. Each device includes a stud member l4 welded at IE to the disk II in any suitable way so as to provide a sealed engagement therewith. This stud passes freely through the disk III. The stud is forked at its upper end as indicated at l8, l8, and a cam lever l'l located in the forked end is pivotally connected to said forked end by means of a pivot pin I8 of any desired construction. Passing between the forks I6, l6 of this stud is a bar l9. The bar I9 is secured to the outer face of the disk I 0 by means of bolts 20, 20. This bar crosses the opening in the disk ID. The cam lever l1 includes a handle member 2| and an eccentric head 22, which head is so shaped that when the lever is in the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 the shorter radius of the eccentric head lies between the pivot stud i8 and the bar l9 and thereafter the ring gasket will expand and separate the disks as shown in Figure 7. When, however, the lever is turned to a position at right angles to the plane of the ring gasket, the eccentric portion of the head will press on the bar l9 and this will force the bar away from the pivot pin l8 and thus the disks will be forced toward each other. This pressure of the disks on the ring gasket will cause it to expand, as shown in Figure 8, into contact with the cylindrical surface of the can end which surrounds the filling opening.

The sealing pad is placed in this opening in the can end before the levers are moved to the position for expanding the sealing gasket. Bracket members 23 are attached to the disk It! and contact with the closure end of the can for locating the sealing pad in the cylindrical neck of the fllling opening. After it has been thus placed the levers are operated for expanding the gasket into tight sealing engagement with the can end and this temporarily rigidly secures the closure pad to the can. After the closure disk is attached to the can, the can is placed in the water bath between the guides therefor and moved to a position beneath the surface of the bath.

A can of large capacity such as the one being tested is not easily submerged beneath the surface of the bath anad therefore a fluid pressure actuated mechanism is provided for forcing the can beneath the surface of the bath. This fluid pressure actuating lever is indicated at 24 in Figure 2 of the drawings. The lever is mounted on a bracket 25 which is attached to the frame structure 26 that supports the tank. This frame structure 26 includes legs which support the tank so'that it is readily accessible to an operator for the insertion of the can and for observing the bath during the testing of the can for leaks. At the outer end of this lever 24 is a cross bar 21 which is formed integral with the lever. This cross bar 21 is best illustrated in Figure 1. Projecting from the left hand end of the cross bar, as viewed in Figure 1, are arms 28.. On each arm is mounted a roller 28. These rollers 28 are shaped and positioned relative to the guiding frame for the can so that the rollers will contact with the double seam securing the bottom end'of the .can to the can body. At the right hand end of the cross bar 21 there are arms 30 on each of which is mounted a roller 3| and these rollers are shaped and disposed so as to engage the double seam Joining the tip end of the can to the can body.

When the lever is turned in a. counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, the rollers will be brought into contact with the can body as shown in dotted lines in this view and thus the can can be pressed downward between the guiding sides and ends of the frame in the bath to a position where the entire can body is submerged and the longitudinal axis of the can body is substantially horizontal. The bath in the tank is controlled so that when the can is in the position shown in Figure 2 the water level is above the can as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 2.

A fluid operated means is utilized for turning the lever for forcing the can into the bath. This fluid actuated mechanism is shown best in Figure 2 and consists of a cylinder 32 mounted in a frame pivoted at 33 to a bracket carried by the main frame of the apparatus. In the cylinder 32 is a piston. 34 to which is attached a piston rod 35, This piston rod is connected 'at 36 to the lever 24. A flexible tube 31 is connected to the upper head 38 of the cylinder and a flexible tube 39 is connected to the lower head 40 of the cylinder. These two tubes are connected to pipes 4| and 42 respectively. The pipes 4| and 42 are in turn connected to a valve casing 48 in which there is a valve controlled by a foot-operated lever 44. This valve casing is connected through a pipe 45 to a suitable source of air pressure. When the valve controlled by the foot lever 44 is shifted to one set position, fluid under pressure wilLbe delivered through the pipe 39' to the under side of the piston 35 and this .will raise the lever 24. The lever swings on a pivot 48 and the cylinder being pivoted to its supporting bracket, will swing to accommodate the oscillations of the lever 24 on this pivot 46. When the valve is shifted to another set position, fluid will be directed to the upper side of the piston 35 and this will move the lever in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the rollers carried thereby to engage the end seams of the container and force the container beneath the surface of the water bath. It is understood, Of course, that this foot control valve. when fluid is directed to one side, of the piston, will provide for the exhausting of the cylinder at the opposite side of the piston.

Air is introduced into the can after it is temporarily closed by the sealing pad through a pipe 41. This pipe 41 is disposed centrally of the pad. It extends loosely through the disk Ill and is welded at 48 to the disk ll. Air passes through the pipe into the container. The air is intro- 6 I claim:

1. -An apparatus for locating leaks in cans comprising a tank containing a water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can substantially horizontal, a pivoted lever, rollers carried thereby and adapted to engage the end seams duced under low pressure so as not to.unduly strain the scams or cause bulging of the can parts. This pipe 41 as shown in Figure 6, carries a connection 50 which has a sealed connection' with the pipe 4'! and at the same time said connection can turn about the pipe as an axis. The connection carries a short length of pipe 5| which in turn is connected to a flexible hose 52. This hose is in turn connected to a valve casing 53 supported on a bracket 54 attached to the tank. A hand-operated valve 55 controls the supply of air from a low pressure sourceor connects the hose to the atmosphere.

The pad is placed in the flllingopening of the container in the manner above described, after which the levers 2|, 2| are turned so as to compress the elastic pad l2, causing the same to expand into tight engagement with the cylindrical wall surrounding the filling opening. .After the Dad has been connected to the can and the can temporarily closed thereby, it is placed in the frame which guides the can into and out of the bath. The operator will then; through the foot lever, cause the fluid actuated piston to depress the lever into contact with the can and force the can beneath the surface of the bath. The operator then turns the hand lever 55 so as to admit air under pressure into the can. If there are any leaks in the can seams the air escaping therethrough will rise in the form of bubbles to the surface of the bath.

The operator can turn the can so as to bring the side seam to the upper side of the can and near the surface of the bath. By the turning of the can every point in the end seams can be brought to the upper side and near the surface of the bath. If there is a leak the can is rotated to bring the leaky portion to theupper surface. This will clearly indicate to the operator Just where the leak is and the operator can mark the can so as to indicate the point of leak after the can is removed from the bath. After all of the seams have been tested, the air pressure in the can is released. The foot treadle is then shifted so as to direct air under pressure to the under side of the piston, which will raise the lever and as the lever raises the can, it will move out of the bath to a point where it may be readily grasped by the operator and removed from the apparatus.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

'while permitting the can of the can for forcing the can beneath the bath while permitting the can to be rotated, a cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said cylinder,

.said piston being connected to said lever and operating in one direction for moving the lever into engagement with the can and immersin the can. in the bath and operating when moved in the opposite direction for releasing the can so that it may be removed from the bath, and means for closing the can before it is immersed and-for supplying air under pressure to the can for the testing of the same.

2. An apparatus for locating leaks in cans comprising' a tank containing a. water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axisof the can substantially horizontal, a pivoted lever, rollers carried thereby and adapted to engage the end seams of the can for forcing the canbeneath the bath to be rotated, a cylinder, a fluid operated piston in saidcylinder, said piston being connected to said lever and operating in one direction for moving the lever into engagement withv the can and immersing the can in the bath and operatingwhen moved in the opposite direction for releasing the can so that it may be removed from the bath and means for'closing the can before it is immersed and for supplying air under pressure to the can for the testing of the same, said last-named means being constructed so as to permit the can to be rotated during the testing thereof.

3. An apparatus for locating leaks in cans comprising a tank containing a water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can substantially horizontal, a pad. for temporarily closing the can including metal disks, a, rubber gasket between said disks, means for moving said disks toward each other for compressing the gasket for expandingthe same into contact with a cylindrical wall surrounding the filling opening of the can and means connected to the pad for supplying ]air under pressure to the can, said last named means being constructed so as to permit the can to be rotated.

4. An apparatus for locating leaks'in cans comprising a. tank containing a water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can substantially horizontal, a pad for temporarily closing the toward each other for compressing the gasket for expanding the same into contact with a cylindrical wall surrounding the filling opening of the can, a metal ring disposed between'said metal disks and contacting, with the gasket ring for ensuring the outward expansion of the ring when pressed upon by the disks and means connected to the pad for supplying air under pressure to the, can, said last named means being constructed so as to permit the can to be rotated.

5. An apparatus for locating leaks in cans comprising a-tank containing a water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can substantially horizontal, a pad for temporarily closing the can including metal disks, 9, rubber gasket between said disks, means for moving said disks toward each other for compressing the gasket for expanding the same into contact with 9. cylindrical wall surrounding the filling opening of the can, and a pipe attached to said pad for delivering air to the can after it is sealed and immersed, said pipe including a connection'which permits the can to be rotated in the bath without disturbing the 'supply of air to the can.

6. An apparatus for locating leaks in cans comprising a tank containing a water bath, guides for directing the can into and out of the bath with the longitudinal axis of the can substantially horizontal, means for forcing the can beneath the surface of the bath. said means including rollers bearing on the can end seams, a pad for temporarily closing the can before it is immersed in the bath, andmeans-connected to the pad for supplying air under ressure to the so can, said last-named means being constructed.

so as to permit the can to be rotated.

JOHN E. SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record'in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

